Until recently, Northampton was most famous for its shoemaking industry.

Today the town is probably best known for having a council which has been declared technically bankrupt.

Northamptonshire County Council's financial woes have been laid bare in recent weeks, culminating in a bleak assessment by local MP Andrew Lewer in a letter calling for an urgent meeting with cabinet ministers over the issue.

He said: "A culture of poor performance and decision-making in Northamptonshire County Council fuelled the current crisis, but there are bigger, national drivers that also have a significant bearing on the position of not only Northamptonshire, but other local authorities too.

"Adult social care demand from a rapidly increasingly elderly population is the big elephant in the room.

"We need to have a discussion on how future local government is structured, financed and delivered, especially for this crucial and costly sector."